This application relates to climbing, rescue and construction equipment, and in particular to an approach for releasably holding a carabiner or similar device, e.g., to extend a user's reach and allow the carabiner it to be secured to or removed from an object.
Carabiners, which are also referred to as snap links, are used in rock and alpine climbing, construction and industrial settings and rescue work as part of a safety system. In general, a carabiner resembles a link of a chain with a spring-biased movable portion or gate that, when opened, allows the carabiner to be passed though an opening in or around another object. Typically, the object is fixed, and the user's connection to that object is by way of a rope, sling or tether attached at one end to the user (usually by a harness) and at its other end to the carabiner (either as a fixed connection or running through the carabiner).
Such objects are selected based on the expectation that they will sustain or reduce the forces exerted on the user if he falls, thus limiting the user's injuries. In some cases, a suitable object is not within easy reach. For example, on many sport climbing routes, the first object is a bolt with a hanger secured to the rock face, but it is located out of arm's reach of most users. Conventional devices for holding a carabiner in an opened position and having an elongated handle for extending the user's reach are known, but these devices tend to be overly complicated in operation and not sufficiently rugged for use in typical conditions experienced in climbing, industrial and rescue situations.